Finding a support service is not always straightforward. Information may be scattered across different websites, contact details may change, and it can be difficult to know which organisations provide the assistance someone needs. For people affected by sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), these challenges can make an already difficult search more overwhelming.
At SafeHerSpace, we aim to make reliable support information easier to find. Our resource directory is developed through research, engagement with organisations and professionals, and efforts to check service information before it is included. By bringing relevant resources together in one place, we want to help people in Sri Lanka explore their options with greater clarity.
How do we identify support services?
Our work begins by identifying organisations and professionals involved in supporting people affected by sexual and gender-based violence. This includes services working in mental health, counselling, legal assistance, healthcare, women’s rights and survivor support.
We draw on research, publicly available information and stakeholder engagement to identify relevant services. We also examine the types of assistance available, including psychosocial support, medical care, legal information, safety-related assistance and referrals. This helps us understand the range of resources available and identify areas where information or support pathways may be limited.
How do we check information?
A directory is only useful when its information is accurate and presented clearly. We therefore seek to establish whether the information collected about an organisation reflects the services it actually provides.
This process involves reviewing available information and, where possible, communicating directly with organisations or relevant representatives to clarify their services and contact details. Information that may require confirmation includes service availability, eligibility, operating hours, languages offered, costs and referral requirements. These details can differ between organisations and may change over time.
Verification is an important distinction: finding an organisation online does not automatically mean that every detail about its services has been confirmed. We aim to distinguish information that has been checked from information that still requires confirmation, rather than presenting all listings as equally verified.
How do we organise the resource directory?
Once relevant services have been identified, information needs to be organised in a way that helps people find what they are looking for. SafeHerSpace brings information about support organisations and recovery resources together through a resource map and directory.
Resources are organised around the types of assistance people may need, such as mental health support, counselling, legal assistance, medical care and other relevant services. Clear descriptions help readers understand what an organisation offers and decide whether to explore it further.
The purpose is not to recommend one service for everyone. Different people have different circumstances, and the most suitable option depends on their needs, location, preferences and the services available. The directory provides a starting point for exploring those options.
Why is SafeHerSpace multilingual?
SafeHerSpace is designed to make information accessible in Sinhala, Tamil and English. Language can influence how easily someone understands their options, particularly when information concerns sensitive experiences, health or legal matters.
We aim to present information in clear, accessible language while preserving the meaning of the original content. Multilingual access is an important part of making the resource useful to people across Sri Lanka, rather than limiting access to those who are comfortable reading English.
How do we keep the resource useful?
Support information can change as organisations update their services, contact details and operating arrangements. Maintaining a useful directory therefore requires more than collecting information once.
SafeHerSpace has a website backend that allows information to be updated as changes are identified. This provides the technical foundation for maintaining the directory, while continued communication, information checks and review are important for keeping individual listings useful.
We recognise that a listing cannot guarantee that a service is currently available or suitable for every person. Readers may need to contact an organisation directly to confirm its current services, eligibility requirements and availability. We aim to make the information available as clear and useful as possible while recognising these limitations.
Building SafeHerSpace with care
SafeHerSpace is part of Beyond Survival, a research initiative focused on improving access to information and long-term recovery resources for people affected by sexual and gender-based violence in Sri Lanka. The work involves examining existing support services, engaging with relevant stakeholders and developing an accessible resource that helps people understand their options.
Our approach is guided by a simple principle: information about support should be clear, responsible and presented with care. That means being transparent about what a directory can offer, taking accuracy seriously and recognising that every person’s circumstances are different.
SafeHerSpace aims to make finding support a little less overwhelming. By researching services, checking information where possible and bringing relevant resources together in Sinhala, Tamil and English, we hope to help people find information they can use to explore their next steps.
Because a trusted resource is not just about listing organisations. It is about helping people understand what is available, where to look and how to make informed choices at their own pace.